Portugal reached the knockout stage but not as group winners after conceding a controversial late equaliser to Iran in a dramatic match that was dominated by questionable VAR decisions.

Portugal enjoyed the greater possession in the first half but Cristiano Ronaldo was well shackled and they needed individual brilliance from Ricardo Quaresma to open the scoring on the stroke of half-time.

Iran keeper Alireza Beiranvand looked shaky on crosses but saved a second-half Ronaldo penalty that had been awarded following the intervention of VAR.

Portugal were still on course to top the group until Iran were awarded a questionable stoppage-time penalty, again via VAR, which was converted by Karim Ansarifard. Mehdi Taremi could have snatched a last-gasp winner for Iran but shot into the side netting.

The two penalties awarded in this game took the total number of spot-kicks to 20, exceeding the previous tournament record of 18.

Talking point

Paraguayan referee Enrique Caceres made three questionable decisions after consulting at length with the video officials. Ronaldo won a penalty aftercolliding with Ezatolahi and was then booked but not sent off for an elbow. But the ref saved his worst decision for stoppage time, when he awarded Iran the late penalty for handball.

A freak goal from Diego Costa was enough to see off the dogged resistance of Iran and send Spain to the top of their group after a game played in noisy conditions in Kazan.

Backed by a boisterous crowd, Iran’s plan was to frustrate Spain by defending deep, effectively with a back six, three in midfield and only Sardar Azmoun in the opposition half. Spain found little space in the first half but they moved the ball more quickly after the break and got the breakthrough goal thanks to a fortuitous bounce off Costa.

But it was far from one-way traffic and there were notable chances for Iran after Spain had taken the lead. Karim Ansarifard rippled the side netting while Mehdi Tarebi powered his header over after Vahid Amiri had nutmegged Pique. Iran’s best chance came from another set-piece, when Tarebi thought he had fired home, but after a lengthy delay VAR confirmed the linesman’s offside call.

GOAL! Spain have the breakthrough but it is a fortunate one. Costa turns inside the box and Rezaeian's clearance ricochets off the Spanish striker and into the net pic.twitter.com/Jwpw7HXj0k

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz dropped two key players, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Masoud Shojaei, who were both on yellow cards, suggesting his strategy was to save them for the final game against Portugal, while keeping the score down against Spain. In the end, his team were unlucky not something from this game.

By far the best qualifiers in Asia, Iran never looked in danger of not making the 2018 World Cup – the first time in their history they have achieved such a feat. Unbeaten in 10 games in the final group stage and conceding only twice, Carlos Queiroz has developed a well-organised, well-oiled and well-drilled machine. Now it is all about taking the team to the next level.

Key Moments in Qualifying

Sep 2016
The opening game of the final round, in front of almost 80,000 fans in Tehran, and Iran are frustrated by Qatar until Reza Ghoochannejhad breaks the deadlock in the fourth minute of injury time.Oct 2016
A 1-0 win over South Korea in Tehran puts Iran in control of the group as a masterclass from Queiroz helps produce a performance that is far more dominant than the scoreline suggests.Mar 2017
Back-to-back 1-0 wins over Qatar and China in the space of five days means that the football-mad nation is on the brink of Russia.Jun 2017
The inevitable is confirmed with a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan and there is dancing on the streets of Tehran.

Iran World Cup Group

Iran will have their work cut out to get out of the group considering Portugal, Spain and Morocco make up the other spots in the group.

Iran World Cup Friendlies

Iran’s first 2018 friendly against Libya was cancelled on the 14th of March. Three days later they beat Sierra Leone. They then lost to Tunisia, beat Algeria, and lost to Turkey. Their final friendly was against Lithuania which they won 1-0.

Carlos Queiroz, age 64 (01.03.53)
In place for six years, he has used his considerable experience to get the team where it is today. He has qualified three different national teams for four World Cups: South Africa, Portugal and now Iran – where he is beloved by fans. Next summer could be his biggest test and potential success.

Well Drilled: Queiroz has developed an organised side that is unbeaten in 10 games (Getty Images)

The PlayersStarsSardar Azmoun can lay claim to be the best striker in Asia at the moment, while Reza Ghoochannejhad has been scoring goals for fun with Heerenveen in the Dutch top flight.StalwartsMehdi Taremi has his critics at home but the striker often pops up with a goal when needed. Veteran defender Jalal Hosseini has over a century of appearances and is still going strong.Missing
Captain Javad Nekounam bowed out just before the qualification campaign started, while former Premier League midfielder Andranik Teymourian has not appeared this year.Debuts
Aged 21, Saeid Ezatolahi is being hailed as the “Persian Pogba” and the Russian-based midfielder has all the attributes to become a real star.

Iran World Cup Injuries

We will update you on any Iranian injuries here.

Sardar Azmoun is Iran’s best player and will need to score goals in Russia (Getty Images)

The Unanswered Questions

Will Iran be able to score goals?
Despite having such a talented attacker such as Sardar Azmoun, goals did not exactly flow freely in qualification. To get out of the group, he is going to need support.

Fun: Ghoochannejhad has been scoring goals for fun in the Dutch top-flight (Getty Images)

Who will step up when the pressure is on?
Iran has long had powerful midfielders, both physically and mentally, but the present crop is younger and more technical. With the team’s stroll to the World Cup it remains to be seen who will emerge as a leader when the pressure is really on.

Will preparation help or hinder?
While Japan and South Korea regularly play some of the world’s biggest sides, Iran struggle to attract the same calibre of friendly opposition. Carlos Queiroz has openly called upon the national federation to pull out all the stops to get the team ready.

Free Newsletter

Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from World Soccer and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time.

We'd also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies - we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.